OBITUARY - CT (Computed tomography) pioneer
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
Dr James Ambrose, who helped develop the world's first computerised tomography (CT) scanner, died in March 2006, aged 82. In collaboration with electronics engineer Godfrey Hounsfield of EMI laboratories, Dr Ambrose, of Atkinson Morley's Hospital in London, UK designed the world's first prototype scanner, paving the way for a new field in radiology. On October 1 1971, Dr Ambrose performed the first ever CT scan on a live patient, showing a detailed image of a brain tumour. Born in Pretoria, South Africa, he became an ambassador for the technique and received many awards in his lifetime, including the Gold Medal of the Royal College of Radiologists in 1992.